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Taking a Deep Breath

I am officially done with the fall semester of my junior year of college. Winter break is here at last! It feels so good to say that.

I can breathe again for the first time in months, and while I am grateful for the relief I am also saddened by its rarity.

I throw myself into my college workload and operate at full speed basically every day of the week, always attending meetings or completing papers (I had six final papers due over a two week time span — how is that even allowed?!) without taking time for myself. In a school environment where you’re surrounded by students who are constantly competing to see who has the best grades, who has the greatest internships, who is the most caffeinated, and who sacrifices the most hours of sleep to stay up and do homework, it’s easy to get swept up in the pressure. About halfway through every semester I reach the point where I am overcome with guilt for taking a break from my work to call a friend, read a book, or relax for just one moment. The education system shouldn’t make me and every other student out there feel this way.

But that’s a subject for another time.

Now, after a lovely holiday season surrounded by family and loved ones, it feels like I have nothing but time on my hands. I can teach myself how to truly appreciate “boredom” and get back into the hobbies and interests that made me happy when I was able to indulge in them — yoga, meditation, reading, discovering new music, writing, going for long walks (weather permitting), and thinking about the world. I can pause and refresh before the madness of a new semester, which seems ages away right now. I can finally take a deep breath!

With this dreadfully long and difficult year almost over and 2017 just a few days away, I’ve been trying to reflect on the good things that happened in my life in 2016 and the excitement of a fresh perspective. Approaching college graduation and “real” adulthood is scary, but I honestly believe that the future holds so much potential for positive growth for me.

I’m also hoping to do a lot more with this blog in the new year (like secure an actual domain and pretty theme, and post as regularly as my busy collegiate schedule allows) so stay tuned and feel free to leave any suggestions in the comments! I want to know what you want to see this space used for. And to all of my fellow college students out there: I know many of you already sick of being at home and ready to return to school, but try to soak up the last few weeks of break. Spend quality time with your family and close friends. Go to your old hometown haunts or find new ones. Do all of the things you’ve been meaning to do in your free time. Prepare to enter 2017 with a clean heart and good intentions. Live.